Wolfenstein 2 ‘The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe’ DLC Review

The Freedom Chronicles DLC for Wolfenstein 2 is tricking out one episode at a time, following the early ‘episode 0’ teaser. First up is The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe, and here’s our full review of this short slice of smash bang action on the Xbox One X.

Wolfenstein 2 (dubbed ‘The New Colossus’) was one of the most hilarious games of 2017, not to mention the most brutal and bloody. However, one of our favourite elements was the freedom to tackle the game in any style you liked. Do you storm into a Nazi facility with dual miniguns blazing, for instance, or creep around in the shadows to quietly despatch your foes? Should you deal with those pesky commanders using a barrage of grenades, or a timely headshot from your silenced pistol?

At one point you can even choose an augmentation, to suit your preference. Reckless gamers were fitted with an armoured suit that allowed them to smash through walls and enemies alike, which was bloody funny every single time. Stealthy players could instead squeeze through tiny gaps, to sneak around more easily. There was also a weird stilts option, which was best avoided to be honest.

These three separate augmentations form the basis of the Wolfenstein 2 ‘Freedom Chronicles’ DLC. Purchasing the game’s season pass gives you three new episodes to blaze through, beginning with The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe. This first episode is available now, with the other two following soon.

What’s the story with The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe?

The titular Joe (full name Joseph Stallion) is a tough-as-nails American Football player, who at the start of this DLC finds himself incarcerated in a Nazi prison. Facing a fate worse than death, Joe manages to bust his way out of his cell and smash his way through the facility.

If you’ve played Wolfenstein 2’s DLC teaser, episode 0, then you’ll know exactly what to expect. Joe handles in the same way as BJ in the original game, after receiving the armor upgrade. In other words, you can charge through certain walls and obstacles simply by running at them, while also turning your enemies to paste. Your armor will also regenerate when you take hits.

After busting free of the prison, Joe has only one thing in mind: revenge against Roderick Metze, the ex-dentist turned Nazi bastard who put him in that cell. It’s a vendetta which takes him all the way into space, in a mirror of BJ’s previous antics.

What’s new in The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe?

Very little new material is unfortunately stuffed into this short helping of DLC. You’ll pick up the same weapons, fight the same Nazi foes and battle your way through levels which look and feel suspiciously similar to the areas in Wolfenstein 2.

At one point you even steal a Panzerhound to cause mayhem, with the same mechanics as before. And while it’s undoubtedly just as much fun here, we can’t help but feel that The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe are rather redundant. After all, if you simply wanted more of the same, you could always just replay the original game.

Of course, this episode’s emphasis on the fast and violent gameplay approach means stealthy gamers have little reason to play. At some points you have no option but to charge through a wall to continue. This immediately alerts nearby enemies and makes sneaking around much more difficult, or simply impossible.

Still, fans of run and gun action will get a kick from this first slice of Wolfenstein 2 DLC, even if it ends up being more of the same.

How long is The Adventures of Gunslinger Joe?

Episode one of the Wolfenstein 2 DLC is of course pretty short, as you’d expect. The fact that you’re charging around each level rather than taking your time means you should see the ending in two hours or under.

We’re looking forward to checking out the next two episodes, although we’re not expecting anything revolutionary from them either.